Bush Library Opening Brings Opportunities for Dallas, SMU

DALLAS, May 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With this week's public opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the $250-million research institution and museum is set to have a lasting cultural and educational impact on Southern Methodist University and the entire city of Dallas, according to guests on the most-recent edition of the KRLD 1080 AM "Pulse of the City" radio show, sponsored by the Dallas law firm Munck Wilson Mandala.

Based on attendance figures from other presidential libraries, officials believe the Bush library will attract 250,000 to 300,000 visitors annually. Sunday's "Pulse of the City" broadcast was devoted to the opening of the Bush library, and featured guests Mark Langdale, president of the George W. Bush Foundation; Eric Draper, official White House photographer during the Bush presidency; Bush museum director Alan Lowe; security consultant Michael Restovich of Command Consulting Group; and SMU President R. Gerald Turner.

Mr. Turner noted that the museum raises the public profile of SMU on many different levels. The exhaustive archives from the president's two terms will reinforce the university's reputation as a center for serious scholarship, in addition to increasing opportunities for SMU students to participate in meaningful research.

"They will be able to participate and get a perspective from national and international figures that you just don't get from textbooks or reading online," Mr. Turner said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of junior high and high school students will visit the museum daily. These direct experiences with the school campus are an effective recruiting tool for SMU to attract high-quality students, Mr. Turner said.

Last week's opening ceremonies featured a historic gathering of the five living U.S. presidents and created security and logistical challenges for the federal, state and local agencies that worked together. Mr. Restovich, a former high-level federal security and counterterrorism official, said the high-profile ceremony was executed well and showed a high degree of coordination among the different agencies.

"Pulse of the City" is a weekly roundtable radio program devoted to current events with a special focus on issues and opportunities associated with North Texas and Downtown Dallas. Moderated by CBS/KRLD assistant news director Matt Thomas joined by John Crawford, President and CEO, Downtown Dallas, Inc., the weekly KRLD 1080 AM program is broadcast Sundays at 9 a.m. and can be heard on demand at http://www.munckwilson.com/media-center/pulse-of-the-city or http://dfw.cbslocal.com/category/watch-listen/pulse-of-the-city/.

Munck Wilson Mandala is a technology-focused law firm with offices in Dallas and Marshall, Texas, with an emphasis on patent, trade secret and other intellectual property disputes. The firm offers full-service counsel in the areas of intellectual property litigation, complex commercial litigation, intellectual property portfolio development, corporate transactions and securities, and employment law. Munck Wilson Mandala represents clients from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. Learn more about the firm at http://www.munckwilson.com.

For more information, please contact Robert Tharp at 800-559-4534 or [email protected].

SOURCE Munck Wilson Mandala